Page 20 of Unmatched Devil

Laughing, Rian steered Kylian toward the chapel. The rest of the guys joined in, carrying Kylian along with the fray. Everyone seemed a little too enthusiastic. By the time they made it inside, he was too far to turn back, especially since being with Zander’s guards—apparently—moved them to the front of the line. People were showing them rings and asking about music. Kylian’s head spun too much to think clearly. He had odd thoughts about birth certificates and whatnot, but those things seemed brushed over or got lost in the commotion. Everyone spoke at once and over each other. Kylian couldn’t follow. From what he gathered—somehow—simply due to who everyone was, laws didn’t seem to apply to them.

One moment, Rian showed him a set of rings with an eye-popping price tag. The next, Pytor whipped out a black card and covered the cost while Kylian was shuffled to the front of the altar where a man in a white robe waited. It wasn’t until he was asked to repeat his vows that Kylian stumbled. Did he promise to love, honor, and cherish Rian until his dying day? Rian didn’t love him. This wasn’t love. It was some crazy form of obsession neither of them could shake. But that didn’t matter because Kylian said the words and then Rian did too. Rings were on their fingers and the guys cheered as they kissed.

One second, he was in the crazy bustle of marrying a man he had just started dating. The next, he was at dinner with more drinks being passed his way. Kylian downed the champagne in a shocked haze. Food appeared and Kylian forced dinner rolls down his throat. The alcohol waned and reality hit. He had married Rian.

Kylian’s gaze moved Rian’s way. Rian was all smiles. The picture of happiness. Rian didn’t love him. His throat swelled. Rian looked his way. His smile fell. Rian kissed his temple and then touched his lips to Kylian’s ear. “Don’t look at me like that. If you don’t want this, we can undo it.”

Kylian’s throat swelled to double the size. “I don’t want to undo it.”

Rian’s smile was back. “Good. Me neither.”

The air cleared. Kylian could breathe again. Rian was happy. All was right in the world. He had done something completely insane, but that pretty much described everything he had done since meeting Rian. Rian hadn’t let him be wrong yet. He wouldn’t this time either. Kylian felt that all the way to his soul.

Kylian passed out before they made it back to the room. Rian carried him to bed. He gently undressed Kylian, keeping him comfortable. Then he ran through his bedtime routine before slipping into bed beside Kylian. Everything had gone better than planned. Rian couldn’t stop staring at Kylian. His husband. Kylian likely didn’t realize it, but Rian hadn’t drunk a drop of alcohol. He had been stone cold sober when they married. This was just who Rian was. When he wanted something, he took it. Damn the consequences. People like him didn’t have consequences.

There was so much Kylian didn’t understand, though. The moment he had caught Rian’s eye, his life had no hope of staying the same. He wasn’t safe outside of Rian’s protection. If he had just been some guy, then maybe, but Kylian wasn’t just some fling to him. He mattered. That meant he would matter to Rian’s enemies as well. Rian had to put him in the position where he wouldn’t return to living alone. Rian had kidnapped him again, except this time, Kylian had legally agreed. Kylian didn’t see any of that yet. He was smart, though. Rian knew it wouldn’t take him long. He just hoped—maybe—Kylian would love him by then and choose to stay despite his flaws and manipulations. For now, a win was a win in Rian’s book. Marrying Kylian was a win.

“My dad is going to die.” Kylian said the words into the dark and with his eyes still closed, startling Rian.

“I thought you were sleeping.”

Kylian’s eyes still didn’t open. “I am, but my brain is busy too.”

A smile snapped to Rian’s lips at the response. Kylian always made him smile. “Your dad will probably be shocked. But once he sees you being treated like a king, he’ll know this was a good decision.”

Kylian scooted closer and draped his leg over Rian’s hips so he could get even closer. He snuggled against Rian’s chest. “It was a good decision.” The words came out soft and slurred, but Rian didn’t miss them. He pressed his lips to Kylian’s head and stayed that way as he breathed Kylian’s scent. His chest swelled with pride. Tomorrow, when Kylian was sober, they would deal with all the hard stuff. Tonight, he got to hold his baby—his new husband. All was right in the world.

Chapter Ten

Kyliandecidedtowaitto tell his dads until they got home. Home. Dang. So much had changed so quickly that Kylian didn’t know what to do. He likely needed to sell the house in Jersey and officially drop college. Kylian panicked anytime he thought too hard about how quickly things had changed and how much there was to do. Faced with so much, Kylian decided calling his dad was the easiest of those chores.

While hanging out in Rian’s office as he worked, Kylian chewed the side of thumbnail while he listened to the phone ring. Rian watched him, as if ready to jump in if needed. Kylian hadn’t decided if he appreciated the gesture or simply felt watched in his time of crisis. Too soon, the ringing stopped.

“Hey, baby. Sorry it took me so long to answer. I couldn’t find my phone under all this paperwork.”

A smile automatically snapped to Kylian’s lips at the sound of his dad’s voice. His dad had always been his rock. He believed to the bottom of his soul it would always be that way. “Hey, Daddy. It’s okay. How’s it going?”

“Good. I just started a new project, so things have been hectic. Otherwise, everything is great. How are things with you?”

Kylian took a breath. “Awesome, actually. I did something a little crazy.”

“You didn’t dye your hair purple again, did you?”

The laughter in Bryson’s voice made Kylian’s smile grow. “No. That was a once in a lifetime disaster. I learned my lesson.”

“Well, you’re young. You’re allowed more than one once in a lifetime disaster.”

Kylian couldn’t take the stress any longer. “I got married.”

Silence met his rapid confession. Finally, Bryson cleared his throat. “Um. I’m assuming you mean the fellow you’re not even dating.”

“Yeah. Maybe that wasn’t strictly true.”

“I see. Is he with you now?”

Kylian’s gaze moved Rian’s way. “Yes.”

Rian’s eyebrows rose.

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